One Step Closer
by t.marie.m
Summary: Takes place half way through season 2 and contains some spoilers from some trailers and set photos. It is mostly based on what I think might happen and then expands from there. Derek needs to learn patience and kindness in order to move on with his relationships in life.


Chapter 1: Previously on Smash . . .

Derek hated summer time in New York City. It was filled with annoying tourists who came from all corners of the Earth to visit the various landmarks and created more unneeded traffic. On top of that the wild children and teenagers finally free from the oppression of school roamed freely about the city unsupervised. Not to mention the intolerable heat waves that made life a living hell for a few weeks every summer. He always found a safe haven in the quiet (air conditioned) theatre when he needed an escape from the hectic city life.

He couldn't deny it he had been bitter ever since their return from the Boston previews. After the amazing success that was Karen Cartwright, everything seemed to be heading in the right direction. Ivy's overdose had further confirmed he had made the right choice for Marilyn and in the process gained the respect of the creative team. He should have known it would not last longer than a few weeks; after all he had been part of the problem. He instructed Karen to act like a star to prevent her role from being taken away from her, and by following the example of the Tony award winner Veronica "Ronnie" Moore she was well on her way to being a Broadway star. As expected Karen took his direction quite seriously and started a diva act that rivaled that even of Ivy's. He overlooked all of her antics because deep down he really did have feelings for her. He was not the heartless ass everyone made him out to be and very few people could bring those emotions out, one of them being Karen. She did take advantage of this weakness to get back at Ivy and would flirt with him whenever she was around. He couldn't complain, in fact he rather enjoyed it. However, Derek did not anticipate that Karen would take this act to the extreme and become a ruthless self-absorbed diva in rehearsals. Outside rehearsals she was the same humble "Iowa" that the entire crew had come to love. Karen truly had changed and he felt guilty that he had alienated her from her friends in the ensemble on the road to stardom.

In the end it was of no surprise when Eileen decided to fire Karen. With all of her financial and legal problems surrounding _Bombshell_, she did not need any more problems in her life. Even though Derek tried to reason with her, she was firm and unwavering in her decision. First Ivy, now Karen he truly had made a mess of this production. Derek knew he had to step down as his role of director; he had caused too many problems already. Of course he was still the choreographer and would still be attached to the project, but he needed to make amends with Karen.

When Karen approached him a few weeks later to come and listen to some unknown writers from Brooklyn, he could not refuse. The writing duo of Kyle Bishop and Jimmy Collins had written an edgy musical named _Hit List_ and to Derek's surprise was not half bad. Of course they needed a director and if a well-known director of his caliber decided to work with them they would immediately gain the attention the production desperately needed. Derek as he did with most of his actions had an ulterior motive. He could make Karen the star of Hit List to make up for his involvement in her losing Marilyn and get to spend some more time with her. He quickly realized that Jimmy and Karen were dating and as much as he liked Karen kept his distance. Derek knew Jimmy was a player and bad for Karen, but he couldn't say he would be a much better match for her after all of his past exploits.

Another blow to his already damaged ego was the news that the spineless Tom Levitt had replaced him as director and unsurprisingly given the role of Marilyn to Ivy. Like all of his projects, he gave them his undivided attention and tried to make them as successful as possible. If _Hit List_ just happened to be an even bigger hit than _Bombshell_ it would be cherry on top to his rivalry with Tom. Derek still remained friendly with Eileen despite directing a rival musical and met with her once a week to discuss any changes with Bombshell.

As he approached Eileen's office, he heard two muffled voices through the wall. One of them was clearly Eileen, however he did not recognize the other female voice. As if sensing his presence the door quickly opened and a young woman with long chocolate brown hair and hazel eyes rushed out the door. She did not look up as she made her way towards the elevator until she noticed two feet standing in her way. She looked up for a moment and instantly recognized whom he was. The second her eyes met his all color drained from her face and tears began to form in her eyes. Without saying a word she quickly walked past him, pressed the elevator button, and entered upon its arrival.

No one had ever reacted to his presence in that manner before and he stood there for a moment and pondered . . .

_Who was she?_


End file.
